Lord, What Fools These Mortals Be AKA I Live In A World Of Goldfish
by CHRISTIANBORLELOVER
Summary: Title comes from Shakespeare. The idea came to me in a dream, I own nothing. Molly is engaged to Sherlock, and no there is a weekly meeting to get everything ready and what happens when Molly sees an old friend in the bar, read and find out. It's probably not what you think, read and review to let me now. Mention of drugs.


They say your fortunes change when you least expect it. Well I certainly agree, the idea of what was to come at the time would have seemed unthinkable.

Lets start at the beginning shall we...

Well it all started off the day Sherlock proposed to Molly, everyone was happy that the consulting detective had finally seen the light. Greg and Anthea were there as a couple as was Mary and John, along with their daughter Ida, who was now 6 and 1 half, these sort of small details matter to young children, you see. Mycroft, Sherlock's older and smarter brother was made aware of the change in situation rather quickly due to a message from Anthea and a phone call from said little brother.

Oh, and in case your wondering Mummy Holmes was very happy indeed.

Since that day 3 weeks ago, the small group met up regularly, they were all there to help plan the wedding and Mycroft had been forced to attend, mainly due to the fact that he knew more about the family heirlooms such as jewelry. That night they had decided that a private room above the bar (Greg's favourite) was the perfect place to meet. Molly left the group for a few minutes, she couldn't bare to be the centre of attention.

She went to grab a glass of red wine, when something caught her attention, it was someone talking about the recent pathology talk that she had attend and even gave a small speech at. She turned to get a better look and saw non other than her friend from Uni and the person who had talked her onto the stage, Arcada Campbell. From uni and the recent pathology talk, it wasn't hard to tell that she was a bit anti social, but then so was Molly.

They had met on the course and shared a love of books. So it wasn't all that surprising to see her sitting alone with a book having by the looks of it turned her phone off. Molly decided she might as well go and talk to her, she wouldn't know about the wedding and be asking all the same stupid questions.

"Err hi" Always a good way to start when your a little socially awkward. Arcada looked up from her book and saw Molly and smiled and offered the seat next to her.

"Hi Molly, How are you?"

"I'm good thanks, how is life treating you?"

"You know same old, same old" They both looked down at that moment neither really knowing what to say, but it was Arcada who broke the silence first "I'm glad that's over, no offence"

"Non taken, I very much agree, hows the book?"

Arcada smiled " Shakespeare, always good, if I remember correctly.."

"As you always do"

" This was the book we both first talked about , the first time we spoke out of class"

"Oh, yes so it was I remember now" The pair smiled at the memory.

"Do you come here often?" Molly asked, she was curious if she could hide from the others every week. "Generally I come most days, they do the best hot chocolate, you?"

"Every week since the start of my engagemen..." She finished weakly, she had not meant to say that. "Congratulations, that's what they say isn't it?"

Molly smiled she reminded her so much of her future husband and his brother. "Something like that, do you want to come upstairs and meet the others, I better head up before they think I ran away"

Before Arcada could answer, and decline she wasn't good with living people, hence the reason she worked with the dead. "Come on" Molly had grabbed her book and was pulling her upstairs.

As Molly opened the door, she was greeted with Anthea and Mary " There you are Molly we were wondering what had happened to you, oh, hello, Molly whose this?" They sounded shocked, little mousy Molly , didn't talk to strangers and didn't have many friends, they had established this when making the list of guests for the wedding.

"This is..." She was cut off by Sherlock.

"A university friend, who is obvious anti social , she obviously works in the medical industry, who works locally..."

"Alright we get the picture. Don't worry about him, he's always doing that and don't ask how he knew or else we could be here all night."

Arcada answered this little explanation from Molly with, "But it seems to me quite obvious how he worked this out, my hands are sore and dry from constant washing and the wearing of gloves, I was obviously alone downstairs or else you wouldn't have brought me up here, I obviously feel uncomfortable, as my breathing became more shallow and my pulse increase and my hair is damp, obviously from walking here in the rain , if I worked further away I would have driven, and been more dry or would have gone else where or I would be more than a bit damp." She even managed to speak at a rate that rival ed Sherlock.

Everyone stood in a shocked silence, Mycroft was the first to recover. He cleared his throat and held out his hand, he would never shake someones hand unless he had to but she was most certainly an equal to his little brother, which was a rare thing indeed.

"Mycroft Holmes."

"Arcada Campbell"

"Greek, region offering peace and contentment"

"Indeed, the function of water and encloses space, Scottish I believe". Mycroft couldn't help but smile it was so rare he was able to have a proper conversation. Although he did hope they could move onto something more int resting then the meaning of names and where they came from.

Greg by this point turned to Anthea and whispered "Molly is just like a magnet to this kinda person".

Arcada turned as she heard him say that, Molly realised and quickly introduced everyone.

"Would you like a drink?" Greg offered as he was about to go and get a pint.

"No thank you, I have work tomorrow and I am on call tonight."

"On call?" Mary questioned, while tilting her head.

"Yes, I'm a forensic pathologist"

"That explains how Molly knows you." John butted in.

"Where do you work?" Anthea asked politely although she was checking all this out as she spoke.

"The Lyell Centre"

"Why are you on call?" Mary was a little confused as Molly was never on call per say, she would get a call from work if no one else could do it.

"In case there are any murders, I do the forensics and then the autopsy".

As if on cue her phone rang, she answered "Jack, whats the matter..." She was silent for a moment and then announced "I'm on my way."

She ended the call and said "I'm sorry but I've got to go, duty calls" and with that she left.

It wasn't long until everyone else called it a night but they were still talking about the 'girl'.

A few days later she was pretty much forgotten, except from one pathologist, a consulting deductive and one big brother.

Sherlock couldn't believe someone else other than him and his brother could do what she did.

Mycroft was thinking about her at this moment because the CCTV footage showed that she fell asleep at work on the sofa.

He also found that she went to the same places every single day, and the meeting this week was held at the same bar as last week.

They all turned up as usual although everyone was wondering if they would see the mysterious genius again and all wondered what Sherlock would do if they did. Everyone thought he might resent her, but the truth is he respected her, as he did his brother, hence the reason they were probably wise to be worried.

As the group arrived they all saw her with her book and mug which was keeping her hands warm.

Molly went and said hello, and the others all exchanged a greeting and that was all. Mycroft had been at the meeting for all of an hour, when he could no longer deal with everyone trying to agree on a menu and decided to take his leave. He had to go and get his grandmothers ring re-sized for Molly.

As he came down the stairs he saw the rain pouring down and was very grateful that he always had his trusted umbrella with him.

He then looked to see that Arcada didn't have an umbrella and had also finished her drink. Mycroft saw an opportunity.

"My dear, you seem to have finished your drink, I was wondering could I join you and drinks on me." Arcada looked up and nodded.

A few moments later Mycroft was sat with Arcada and the bar tender brought their drinks over, Mycroft had a cup of tea and Arcada had her favourite, vanilla, caramel hot chocolate.

"I have a proposition for you"

"I'm listening" She said leaning forward very intrigued as to where this was heading although she already has a good idea.

"My brother likes body parts for his 'experiments', and for some absurd reason my future sister in law allows this. She has rather limited resources shall we say. But you could get him all the parts he needs and you can supply him with interesting cases that could occupy his mind."

"What about..."

"I will make sure you don't get into any trouble, so what do you say?"

"I guess I have nothing to loose"

They both sat in respective silence for a moment enjoying their drinks.

"I have to go, until we me again, Miss Campbell"

"Please call me Arcada"

"Then call me Mycroft"

"Goodnight Mycroft" She kissed his cheek.

She put on her coat and scarf and put her book in her bag and checked her laptop was there. Then she headed for the door.

As she headed out it was pouring with rain, she sighed and pulled her coat a bit tighter around her. She opened the door and headed out and was getting wet . Then suddenly the rain just stopped. She looked up to see a black umbrella and Mycroft Holmes.

He smiled down, and carried on smoking.

"There bad for your health you know" Arcada didn't know why she stayed but she did. Well it was better than getting wet, well for the moment.

"I'm well aware, although I am confused as to why you worry about my health?"

"I'm a pathologist I see a lot of bodies that have been killed due to smoking and I have seen some of the consequences. Also we're already a pathologist short so I don't want to be the one performing your autopsy"

"I will bare that in mind in future." That was when a black car pulled up, "Would you like a lift home, if I have done my research right you live on my journey home."

"It's alright I don't mind walking"

"You would get wet, you will probably get ill, this would be the logical option."

He didn't wait for her to reply simply opened the door of the car and allowed Arcada to gracefully get into the car.

Mycroft and Arcada sat in silence for a minute then Mycroft saw the book in Arcada's bag and saw Shakespeare.

"You like Shakespeare"

"Yeah, you?" Arcada was definitely challenging him.

"You could say I'm an expert"

"So you would know the next line of any quote"

"Yes, I think so"

"Okay here's an easy one 'Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutchthee."

"I have thee not, and yet I see it thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight?"

"Well done, your turn"

"Hmm, 'To be or to to be: that is the question"

"Whether `tis nobler in the mind to suffer"

"I must say I'm impressed. I have never met anyone who could ever do that."

"Thank you" She blushed and looked down, unable to take a compliant.

"This is your stop"

Arcada laughed and said "So we are, until next time, Mycroft" She placed a kiss on his cheek and grabbed her stuff and left, she turned and smiled and waved at him, while standing in the rain. Mycoft simply waved her to go inside which she did and she noticed that the car didn't leave until she went to the window and waved.

/

Over the next few weeks Sherlock had come to visit Arcada at work a few times, the Lyell centre was in a different bigger catchment of case which meant Sherlock had more choice.

Arcada was now being forced to attend the weekly meetings. She was now forced to become a bridesmaid.

Mycroft was confused by her, there were times he didn't think her human. She didn't like going dress shopping and trying things on, yet every time there was a meeting she would turn up looking beautiful in an old fashioned dress. She would have her hair up in perfect victory rolls and a tidy bun. She doesn't wear makeup, the other day the others tried makeup on her but it was agreed she would go without, it just was wrong.

This weeks meeting was held at Baker Street, everyone was there except Arcada. Suddenly Molly's phone went off, she was going to be late.

Half an hour late she walked up the stairs but still looked perfect.

"Sorry I'm late" She announced as she came through the door, John was already pouring her a cup of tea. She accepted it, and just held the cup trying to warm up her hands.

"Anything int resting today?" Although Sherlock sounded detached she could tell he was hoping.

"Umm, 12 bodies washed up out of the Thames, and a child is missing." She looked at Sherlock for a reaction when she didn't get one she carried on "No, umm. 2 murders made to look like suicide, although they were 3 months apart, so that probably wouldn't interest you."

She looked down thinking that nothing could possibly be enough for Sherlock " Oh, there was a man who was stabbed and you would never guess what was found on his body?"

"Clothes" Sherlock said dryly.

"No a modelling balloon" Arcada found these things int resting but everyone else looked slightly horrified, other than Molly and the Holmes.

"Oh, did I tell you about the 'impossible' case that happened at Halloween?"

Sherlock's eye lit up "Tell me more"

"Oh, well you probably won't find it very int resting. Basically a horror writer, who never interested me, was shot"

"Boring"

"The murdered knocked out her daughter and then carried her out into the garage with only one way in or out and then the door closed after half an hour the murderer had disappeared." Sherlock's eye were once again lit. " Oh and did I mention it happened a vicarage"

"Any other cases like that"

"Oh, the old man supposedly shot himself in the head, in a bunker underground. "

"Not bothered"

"Did I mention he had arthritis, and couldn't use his hands so couldn't have shot himself and couldn't have locked the bunker. "

"Now we're talking and where was this?"

"Devon, about a month ago"

"Well, I know what I'm doing tomorrow, John care to join me?"

"Sorry I have work"

"Molly?"

"Work"

"I have the day off if it helps" Arcada piped, she carried on drinking her tea.

Sherlock smiled, of course he could go alone but where was the fun in that. What's the point of putting on a show without an audience.

The next day Arcada got to Sherlock's nice and early, and they went on an adventure.

They arrived in Devon and within an hour the case was solved although it was Arcada who solved this one.

Jack ( the old man) had been murdered by the man he had hired to kill his first wife, after he had gone to jail for a good 20 years for it. He made them come down the stairs to the bunker, locked the door from the inside (it could only be locked from the inside) shot Jack in the head. Then knocked out a wall, although this could have been done before hand. Then bricked himself in, having probably swallowed something.

Do you want to know what put Arcada on the right track staring at the toilet, which had still to be plumbed in. She realised that where the pipes would go, the system couldn't as the wall had obviously moved.

Oh and by the way Sherlock was not exactly happy, but definitely impressed.

Case 2 of the day was down at the vicarage, Sherlock solved this one within an hour.

The husband had shot the wife, because she asked, she was dying anyway. The husband took off his skeleton costume and his daughter put it on and the daughters costume went on a rubber dummy.

Once in the garage she put on her own costume and cut the other one and put it in the empty paint cans.

"Best of 3?"Arcada asked as they got back in the car.

"Best of 3" Sherlock agreed.

The 3rd case that day was on the way home.

Basically a very expensive painting was missing yet no one could work out how when nobody left the room.

Well what happened was the door was hollow and the bottom had been removed for what ever reason and the painting was inside the door.

The case was solved within minutes and guess who won.

Arcada.

"I won!" she chirped happily as she got in the car.

"Yes you did."

Within an hour they were back at Baker Street and the whole car journey had been silent.

When they arrived at Baker Street, everyone was there to make sure Arcada had survived.

No one expected to see a very happy looking Arcada and a sulking Sherlock.

"What happened?" Molly asked worriedly.

"Arcada won" Sherlock mumbled quietly so much so Molly could barely hear him.

"We played best of 3" Arcada explained.

"Well who won?" Greg obviously hadn't heard Sherlock.

"Arcada" Sherlock said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone looked shocked for a moment, but then Aracda quickly said "I have to go, see you soon", once she got outside she could breathe again.

She started to head home, when someone appeared in front of her, "Congratulations, my dear"

She looked to see Mycroft, "Good evening Mycroft. How are you since I last saw you?"

"I'm well my dear, and you?"

"Good thank you"

At that moment her phone went off, she apologised to Mycroft, he thought nothing of it, this is something that he had to do regularly.

"What! Again, yeah of course, I'm on my way" She ended the call, "I'm really sorry, but I'm needed"

Later Mycroft was back in his office and he and Anthea were trying to locate Arcada, she was not in any of the usual places.

"Found her" Anthea announced.

Mycroft went over to see the screen. There she was Arcada was seen entering a drug den. This is bad news, Mycroft had hoped she would be good for his brother, but it seems he might have been wrong, which is very rare.

"Maybe we should send someone to get her out?" Anthea asked , Arcada was becoming a friend to her.

"I'll go" Mycroft decided, "After all I'm used to doing this" He said grimly.

With that he left. He was outside the same building where he had found his brother, it was like a sense of Dave ja vu.

He headed in, and could hear Arcada's voice and simply followed that.

He opened the door and saw a run down room with a mattress on the floor, and saw Arcada sitting with her back against the wall and someones head on her lap.

"Mycroft what are you doing here?" She questioned

"I wanted to make sure you were alright." He answered and it was true.

"How did you know I was here?" She questioned suspiciously.

"Well, we were trying to follow a criminal and saw you, don't worry he was caught"

"You watched me, didn't..."

There was a groan from Arcada's lap, she looked down and stroked the mans hair, "Shh, it's alright I'm here, your fine Ambrose"

"He's my little brother Ambrose"

Mycroft tilted his head to get a better look at the young man, he had dark curly hair, he was pale and was wearing a white shirt waistcoat, and a rather ragged trench coat.

"Is he alright?"

"No, he had an overdose, I need to get him home but ..." She trailed off as her brother started to shake.

"I'll help" He then helped Ambrose sit up, then both of them put an arm around the young man and helped him stand. They then helped him down the stairs and into the black car that was waiting for them and once at Arcada's flat, Mycroft helped Arcada get her younger brother into her flat, she then led the way to a bedroom.

The walls of the room were covered with drawings of different inventions, some were rather genius.

"He really is clever, although it seems not clever enough to know how damaging this is to brain and body"

"It seems we have a lot in common, I found Sherlock in that exact room before having an overdose."

"Oh, I'm sorry" She gave him a hug as if he needed the support and not her.

She just leaned on him as the weight of everything began to pile on her.

Suddenly they both heard a groan, and a cry of "Cada, Cada"

The pair went to see if he was alright, she went and bent down to his height and stroked his hair "What's the matter Glitch, are you alright?"

"Sing me a song"

She beckoned Mycroft over "You can leave if you want."

"No, I think you need me right now"

"Cada song"

"Alright,

 _Do not forget me, Oh do not forget me. Think of me still_

 _When the morning breaks, and the throstle awakes,_

 _Remember the maid of the hill_

 _Do not forget me, Oh not forget me_

 _Remember the maid, the Maid of the mill_

Mycroft sat in a chair next to Arcada and was amazed that her voice was so soft and gentle that it could soothe a person and wash over them and the saddness of the lyrics got to him.

"`nother one"

"Really Ambrose"

"If ever I'm in any kind of great big mess or trouble" Ambrose started.

" _I'd be right there, we'd be a pair_ "

"You mean you'll never leave me all alone. We'll always be a double we two?"

" _That's the arithmetic, I'd stick with you_ ," Ambrose started to drift to sleep " _Through all the thin and thick, closer than frack and frick. We two will do the trick I'd stick with you. Fast as the clock can tick, I'd be there just as quick. No one I'd rather pick I'd stick with you_ " She then kissed his head.

Mycroft watched, he felt the same for Sherlock but Sherlock wouldn't ever say any thing close to what Ambrose had said.

The pair headed out the room and Arcada started to boil the kettle.

Mycroft stayed the night and in the morning woke up to find Arcada asleep on him with a blanket covering the pair.

He quickly found himself falling back asleep, well if he moved he would wake her and if he stayed awake it would be awkward later.

The second time he woke up there was no longer a woman sleeping on him.

/

Over the next few weeks everyone met up frequently, Molly getting more and more nervous and everyone had been introduced to Ambrose and everyone was getting on.

It was one of those unusual sunny warm days. The group was out in the park,that was surprising empty, having a picnic.

Little Ida was wearing a princess dress, running round and enjoying herself, Ambrose was running round with her playing. Ambrose has been clean since and has promised to stay that way.

Mary pulled out a small radio out her bag, and some music started to play.

Ida was dancing with Ambrose, who was trying to teach her to dance.

Arcada came back from grabbing drinks for everyone, and saw that and loved what she saw. She put the drinks down, but before she had chance to sit down, she heard her brother.

"Don't worry,doll, how about I get Arcada to show you how it's done, she might be able to teach you a bit better"

Ida jumped up and down happily, Ambrose then appeared behind his sister "Sister mine, would you care to dance?"

He bowed, "Oh, well the honour would be mine"

The pair went to a little clearing and she curtsied in her yellow dress and he bowed still wearing the ragged jacket that was just so him.

The pair danced and laughed. Then Arcada twirled away, and picked up little Ida and span her round and her brother took over when she went to have a drink.

"Is there anything you can't do?"

Arcada laughed at this " There's plenty, I can't cook, rubbish at socialising, I have no fashion sense, I can't hear out of one ear , I can't play any instrument and I can be forgetful and clumsy, which is the worse mix you walk into something and forget its there and do it again".

"Not long now Molly, this time next week you will be Mrs Molly Holmes" Mary said happily.

"Dr Molly Holmes actually" Sherlock interjected.

"Does that mean we are going to stop having our little get togethers?" Greg asked happily "What I've missed the football" Anthea just rolled her eyes at Greg.

"I hope not, I love seeing everybody" Molly said.

Arcade lay down as everyone was enjoying themselves, it was sunny and being at the top of the hill looking down at the river the grass was green, and lush and Arcada was sitting in the shade.

Closing her eyes she enjoyed the breeze , but suddenly she shivered it was like someone had walked over her grave.

"Are you warm enough?" Mycroft asked, he never misses a thing does he.

"I'm fine thank you"

Arcada tried to focus on what was being said by everyone but her head was pounding and she was feeling a bit ill but nothing serious. She sat up and asked Greg to pass her, her bag, and started looking her pills that would hopefully make her feel better but she couldn't find them, she must have forgotten to replace the one in her bag last time she used them.

At that moment her brother came jogging over and saw his sister and knew instantly something was amiss, "What's wrong?"

"Why would something be wrong?" She trying to play dumb.

"Arcada you are naturally pale, so when you are ill you go grey and you look grey, so somethings wrong, so tell me?" He then he noticed her bag, next to her and discarded and realised what must have happened. "Come on, lets get you home" He then went and helped her up. "Sorry everyone but we have to go, one of Arcada's migraines has come up"

"Are you alright?" Mary asked, looking through her bag seeing if she had anything to help.

"Yes, I'm fine don't ... arg" She clutched her head as the pain intensified, Ambrose put his arm around her and started to guide her away.

Later on she was lying in her room which was dark when Mycroft came in to check on her. She smiled although it didn't have the desired effect, it just made her look worse.

"How are you my dear? I brought you some daisies and some chocolate."

"That was sweet of you, thank you, I feel...ugh. Hide the chocolate me and my brother are obsessed with chocolate if he sees it I won't see it again" she joked hoping to show that she was indeed fine. Although her head still hurt, the pain was starting to subside. "I'll be right as rain by tomorrow"

"You're not going anywhere tomorrow" Her brother threw from the doorway.

"Well I will leave you to recover, good evening"

"Thank you for coming to see me, and good night"

The next day was rather dull for Arcada, everyone else had work, her brother was in his 'inventing room' and only came to check on her once in a while, so here she was on the sofa wrapped in a blanket watching the history channel.

She spent many of the days this week like this as she had the week off for the wedding.

So the next time she saw another human (except her brother) was the wedding.

The day was beautiful and sunny and everyone was hoping no murderers would be present.

Molly's dress was beautiful, it was white and flowed down simply and had a little lace decoration on the middle.

The bridesmaids were wearing red, the dresses had short sleeves, embroidery all the way down on one side and had a ruffle in the skirt on the other side.

The wedding itself went with out a hitch and all the speeches were over and meal was done, it was time to party.

All the couples were dancing to a gentle waltz, Ambrose was dancing with Ida standing on his shoes. Arcada was standing to the side of the dance floor with a drink.

When Mycroft appeared behind her, "May I have not only this dance but all of them?"

"Mycroft Holmes it would be my pleasure"

"You know I do believe this could be the start of something my dear"

"I think you might be right"

Fin

Please rate and review, hope you enjoyed reading this I own nothing. I idea came to me in a dream.


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